1. Field of Invention
This invention relates to smoking articles and to the packaging for smoking articles, and in particular to a smoking article having improved flavor and burn rate, and packaging to keep the smoking article fresh before smoking without requiring storage in a humidor.
2. Description of Related Art
In the manufacturing of smoking articles, considerable attention has been paid to the wrappers for use in encasing a tobacco rod or other smokeable materials. Much of the focus has been on the reduction of secondary or sidestream smoke which is a by-product of the combustion of a smoking article as well as selective additives to reduce fire propensity. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,225,636 (Cline, et al.) teaches the use of carbon coated inner wrappers to significantly reduce sidestream smoke production in the smoking article.
Different wrappers may also effect the burn rate and taste of the smoking article. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 6,827,087 (Wanna et al.) discloses a smoking article with a partial double wrap design intended to affect the burn rate of the smoking article.
While the wrapper material is only a relatively small percentage of the total material in the smoking article much of the taste comes from the wrapper material. U.S. Pat. No. 4,225,636 (Cline et al.) and U.S. Pat. No. 4,505,282 (Cogbill et al.) teach taste improvement in a smoking article by using a carbon inner liner in a smoking article.
Spotting of smoking article wrappers may occur over time due to a number of different factors, and has also been a focus of smoking article manufacturers. U.S. Pat. No. 6,722,372 (Cantrell) teaches the use of an inner wrap comprised of wood fibers and flax fibers in order to reduce such spotting.
One factor which may accelerate spotting on a wrapper of a smoking article is exposure to improper temperature and humidity conditions during transportation and storage. Humidors are a popular solution for this problem, as they provide a humidity controlled environment for storing smoking articles. However, humidors are expensive, and do not provide easily transportable storage for smaller numbers of smoking articles.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,749,461 (Guzman) teaches an airtight cigar package made up of rectangular transparent front and rear sheets, which are heat-sealed together to form an airtight envelope. Four individually wrapped cigars are sealed in the package with support members between and alongside the cigars to prevent crushing of the cigars during package transport and storage.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,371,775 (Butler) teaches a cigar packaging in the form of a film or sheet of synthetic resinous thermoplastic material wherein each elongate object is disposed in a separate compartment formed by the sealing of the film or sheet to a generally like film or sheet. Each compartment can be readily opened in sequence and the contents removed without disturbing the hermetic seal of the remaining containers.
It is desired that the consumer be able to choose the complexity of a smoking article according to his or her individual preferences by way of a smoking article featuring multiple removable wrappers, which when removed, can change the taste and burn rate of the smoking article.
It is also desired that the smoking article be packaged in way that is convenient to store and transport while maintaining the smoking article's freshness and protecting it from damage.
It is further desired that the smoking articles be individually packaged.